Rao AG, Nashwan AJ. Intersection of the glymphatic system and diabetes: Navigating a new frontier. World J Diabetes 2024; 15(12): 2376-2379 [DOI: 10.4239/wjd.v15.i12.2376]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Abdulqadir J Nashwan, MSc, PhD, Research Scientist, Department of Nursing and Midwifery Research, Hamad Medical Corporation, Rayyan Road, Doha 3050, Qatar. anashwan@hamad.qa
Research Domain of This Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Article-Type of This Article
Letter to the Editor
Open-Access Policy of This Article
This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
World J Diabetes. Dec 15, 2024; 15(12): 2376-2379 Published online Dec 15, 2024. doi: 10.4239/wjd.v15.i12.2376
Intersection of the glymphatic system and diabetes: Navigating a new frontier
Asad Gul Rao, Abdulqadir J Nashwan
Asad Gul Rao, Clinical Medicine, Dow Medical College, Karachi 74200, Pakistan
Abdulqadir J Nashwan, Department of Nursing and Midwifery Research, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha 3050, Qatar
Author contributions: Rao AG and Nashwan AJ wrote the draft and critically reviewed the literature.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Abdulqadir J Nashwan, MSc, PhD, Research Scientist, Department of Nursing and Midwifery Research, Hamad Medical Corporation, Rayyan Road, Doha 3050, Qatar. anashwan@hamad.qa
Received: July 1, 2024 Revised: October 2, 2024 Accepted: October 22, 2024 Published online: December 15, 2024 Processing time: 139 Days and 17.1 Hours
Abstract
Diabetes is one of the most devastating medical dilemmas impacting every region of the world severely. The study by Tian et al investigates glymphatic system dysfunction in the context of glucose metabolism and diabetes, using diffusion tensor imaging along the perivascular space. The study evaluated individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), prediabetes, and normal glucose metabolism. It found that prediabetic and T2DM groups had significantly impaired glymphatic function. Glymphatic dysfunction may serve as an early indicator of cognitive deterioration in diabetes due to the correlations shown between these abnormalities and clinical factors as well as cognitive performance. The study has some positives, such as thorough evaluations and novel imaging methods, but its cross-sectional design and limited sample size restrict its applicability. More extensive, long-term research is required to verify these results. Furthermore, there are significant clinical implications. Patients with diabetes may benefit from immediate therapies to prevent microvascular and macrovascular damage if glymphatic dysfunction is identified early. The study promotes comprehensive diabetes care with a focus on maintaining cognitive function. In conclusion, the work of Tian et al is crucial because it opens the door to better treatment and diagnostic strategies for diabetes-related cognitive deterioration.
Core Tip: This article highlights the groundbreaking study by Tian et al, which reveals significant glymphatic dysfunction in prediabetes and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Despite multiple limitations, such as a small sample size and a cross-sectional design, the study highlights the importance of early detection and comprehensive diabetes management while suggesting additional research and innovative approaches to treatment.
